BOOKED: P.O.D. - Michael Maxxis, director

artist: P.O.D.
song: "Addicted"
label: Columbia
director(s): Michael Maxxis
production co: Spy Films/Bucks Boys Productions
rep: RW Media

NEW RELEASE: Hollerado "Americanarama"

American Apparel mastermind Dov Charney is the kind of guy who's ripe for parody. His vertically integrated clothing company takes enormous pride in not exploiting the worker, yet routinely exploits women in its advertising. And he's a Canadian with a fondness for outlandish facial hair. Easy target, eh? Kids In The Hall star Dave Foley heeds the call and delivers an impersonation of Charney that absolutely nails his enigmatic blend of shmatte trade hucksterism and philosophical-cum-Larry Flyntonian sexual expressionism. Montral rockers Hollerado provide the soundtrack on the workfloor of the "Americana Arama" factory, so that Foley and his (in)appropriately clad female workers can get down to the beat. --> watch "Americanaram" via YouTube

Hollerado "Americanarama"
George Vale, director/DP | Chris Cunningham, producer | Spy Films, production co | Agnes Dec & George Vale, editor

NEW RELEASE: Paul Steel "Your Loss"

If Rube Goldberg had constructed a meth lab, it would probably look something like the elaborate contraption seen in this video from director Arno Salters. UK power-popper Paul Steel and band perform in the various beakers and chambers of this device which extracts their rock star essence into something intoxicating. The resulting product is some sort of Mickey that Steel was relying upon to guarantee a successful end to his dinner date, but — as is required in all plots involving the poisoning of ones drink — a switcheroo takes place and leads to unexpected consequences. --> watch "Your Loss"

Paul Steel "Your Loss" (Polydor UK)
Arno Salters, director | Gail Davey , producer | Spy Entertainment, production co | Richard Stewart, DP | Vid Price, editor | Mahi Grand, art director | Dan Lorenzini @ VTR, visual fx

NEW RELEASE: Junior Boys "In The Morning"

Ferrofluid is so 2007. Shortly after the magnetic grey goo — which can do all sorts of fun things — made a prominent and weird appearance in a video for Seventeen Evergreen, it — or, more precisely, its CG equivalent — pops up in this Jaron Albertin-helmed piece for Canadian electronic duo Junior Boys. "In the Morning" features a trio of hipsters scuttling around the streets of Toronto and then succumbing to what looks like an outbreak of scurvy. As they collapse, each character issues a puddle's worth of something that looks and acts a lot like ferrofluid as it shines and devours them. It's a peculiar video, though not surprising given Albertin's surreal take on things. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "In The Morning"

Junior Boys "In The Morning" (Domino)
Jaron Albertin, director/editor | Zeitguised, effects/co-director | Alex Moore, producer | Rockit UK, production co | Sam Brown, DP (Jaron Albertin is repped by Rockit in the UK and Spy Entertainment in US/Canada)

NEW RELEASE: Metric "Empty"

The last time we saw director Jaron Albertin and Metric singer Emily Haines together was inside a Zellers department store, toppling over people like dominoes with the power of their depression. "Dr. Blind" was an excellent video with an ominous tone that has been a hallmark of the director's work up to that point. With "Empty," Albertin presents a new, perhaps welcome tone to his work: A sense of comfort. The clip starts with a house that's been tossed around as if by a tornado. The splattered contents then unravel themselves in five separate sequences that are both marvelous and mysterious. Yet somehow amidst the chaos is a feeling of warmth and a sense of emotional closure. The house may be chaotic, and Haines may be "an island," but it doesn't seem the world has ended just quite yet. (review by Kevin Holy) --> watch "Empty" via YouTube

Metric "Empty" (Last Gang)
Jaron Albertin, director/edito | Dan Beckerman, producer | Spy Entertainment, production co | Tico Paulakakis, DP | Alpha Channel, visual fx

SHOT: Michael Buble - Sean Michael Turell, director

Spy Entertainment director Sean Michael Turrell with Michael Buble on-location at a downtown L.A. factory for the "Everything" video shoot.

artist: Michael Buble
song: "Everything"
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Sean Michael Turrell
production co: Spy Entertainment
DP: Adam Marsden

SHOT: Good Charlotte - Sean Michael Turrell, director

Director Sean Michael Turrell (third from left) on the set of "Dance Floor Anthem" with Good Charlotte. -- click picture to enlarge --

artist: Good Charlotte
song: "Dance Floor Anthem"
label: Epic
director(s): Sean Michael Turrell
production co: Spy Entertainment

IN DEPTH: Cadence Weapon "Sharks"

Having spent the bulk of my free time recently playing with my Wii (hey now!) I am starting to see video game potential everywhere. An afternoon drive is not nearly as fun as a game of Out Run. Why walk down a city street when you could create all sorts of mayhem in Grand Theft Auto? In fact, most sporting events and action flicks would be better played than watched. If I can use this severely fun video as evidence, then the affliction is wider spread than I thought. Canadian rapper Cadence Weapon finds himself in the midst of several video game fantasies, including emulations of such classics as Rampage, Frogger, Donkey Kong and many others.

Video co-directors Chris Grismer and Duane Crichton join the VFX team of J. Lee and Matt Bilewicz for a Video Static exclusive commentary on the inspirations and technical expertise that made this video possible. be sure to watch to the end for a little "rewind" segment and a parting quote that just might reveal a glimpse into the dark, scary place that is Chris Grismer's imagination.

Cadence Weapon "Sharks" (Epitaph)
Cosmonaut (aka Chris Grismer and Duance Crichton), directors | Marc Millard, producer | Spy Entertainment, production co | John Choi, DP | J. Lee and Ross Birchall, editors | J. Lee and Matt Bilewicz of 1188 Films, vfx | Greg Langham, art director 

NEW RELEASE: Seb Martel "Motus"

Director Arno Salters' love of little boxes gets taken to a new level to this video for Frenchman Seb Martel. The camera takes a long single shot journey over a complex diorama in which Martel and a some mystery hands perform this unlikely musical ode to the chug-a-chug sounds of Johnny Cash.

Arno Salters: "For anyone who might like to make a similar film, here's the recipe: Take a cake pan the size of a 12 hour day and fill it with the art direction and cinematography of your choice. Let the mixture rest for eight hours of rehearsing and then slowly pour in 30 takes. Put it in the oven and make sure you sprinkle it with a lot of love to help it rise in post. If you did good, you should end up in no time with a delicious single shot film." --> watch "Motus"

Seb Martel
"Motus" (Corida/Because Music)
Arno Salters, director | Juliette Desmarescaux, producer | Nose PH (France) / Spy Entertainment, production co | Thomas Letellier, DP 

NEW RELEASE: The Golden Dogs "Never Meant Any Harm"

The Golden Dogs
"Never Meant Any Harm" (True North)
Arno Salters, director | Geoff McLean, producer | Spy Entertainment, production co | Stuart Gosling, DP | Andrew Adolphus, editor | Description: Canadian indie rockers The Golden Dogs look awfully bored as they slave away at desk jobs in a sterile white office. Luckily, frontman Dave Azzolini comes upon a fine distraction when he opens a mysterious desktop safe that contains a miniature version of the band performing this tune. -- watch "Never Meant Any Harm"

SHOT: Emily Haines - Jaron Albertin, director

Jaron Albertin directed a video for Metric singer Emily Haines' side project, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton. The conceptual clip places Haines in a department store where the customers and workers come crashing down like a row of dominoes.

artist: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
song: "Doctor Blind"
label: Last Gang
director(s): Jaron Albertin
production co: Spy Entertainment

SHOT: The Golden Dogs - Arno Salters, director

Director Arno Salters (left) with Golden Dogs singer Dave Azzolini on the set of "Never Meant Any Harm."

artist: The Golden Dogs   
song: "Never Meant Any Harm"
label: True North
director(s): Arno Salters
production co: Spy Entertainment

NEWS: Spy Signs Jaron Albertin

Spy Entertainment has announced the signing of director Jaron Albertin to its roster. Albertin's credits include Death From Above 1979's "Sexy Results" and videos for Mew, Maximo Park and Circlesquare.

SHOT: Hard-Fi - George Vale, director

Director George Vale explaining a shot to Hard-Fi bassist Kai Stephens on the set of the band's video "Hard To Beat."

artist: Hard-Fi
song: "Hard To Beat"
label: Necessary/Atlantic
director(s): George Vale
production co: Spy Entertainment

SHOT: The Working Title - Christopher Mills, director

Pictured on the set with The Working Title are producer Shannon Brand and director Christopher Mills (front row, seated), AD Jeff Cowan (top left), the video's featured actress (second from left) and Steve Smith of A Squared Management. click pic to enlarge

artist: The Working Title
song: "The Mary Getaway (I Lost Everything)"
label: Aware/Universal
director(s): Christopher Mills
production co: Spy Entertainment

NEW RELEASE: Imogen Heap "Goodnight And Go"

Imogen Heap
"Goodnight And Go" (RCA Victor)
Arno Salters, director | Craig Fleming, producer | Spy Entertainment, production co | Description: Former Frou Frou singer Imogen Heap follows up her slow burning hit "Hide And Seek" with this playful video for "Goodnight And Go." Heap appears here as just another wind-up toy on a TV set filled with various antique toys and objects.  Things really come alive during the song's bridge when the singer lifts up her billowing dress to reveal a dollhouse filled with creepy dioramas that depict even smaller versions of Heap and other toys.  -- watch "Goodnight And Go" in Quicktime, Real or Windows Media

Video Commentary: Arno Salters on Mates Of State

The Video Static Director Commentary Series continues with the Mates Of State cut-out clip "Fraud In The 80's." Director Arno Salters shares the tricks he used to make all the elements in this inventive video come to life.

Watch our "Fraud In The 80's" with director commentary in Quicktime (opens in new window) or at Google Video and You Tube.

SHOT: Billy Talent - Sean Michael Turrell, director

Director Sean Michael Turrell (blonde, second from left) on location in Toronto with rock band Billy Talent for their new video. photo by Dustin Rabin; click photo to enlarge

artist: Billy Talent
song: "Devil In A Midnight Mass"
label: Atlantic
director(s): Sean Michael Turrell
production co: Spy Entertainment

NEW RELEASE: The Sam Roberts Band "The Gate"

The Sam Roberts Band
"The Gate" (Universal Canada)
Christopher Mills, director/editor | Anthony Seck, producer | Spy Entertainment, production co | George Vale, DP | Description: Canadian rock star Sam Roberts borrows the scrappy, psychedelic tone of Revolver era Beatles for this rollicking track from his upcoming album Chemical City. Director Christopher Mills — who at this point could be considered the master of improvised, visual psychedelia — is more than up to the challenge of achieving a suitably burnt and trippy look to match the tune. Shots of the barren desert landscape outside Las Vegas is mixed with a performance in which Roberts and his bandmates are on miniature wooden platforms that are tugged back and forth across a stage by purposefully exposed pulleys. -- watch "The Gate"

NEW RELEASE: Honeycut "Tough Kid"

Honeycut "Tough Kid"
(Quannum Projects)
Arno Salters, director | Walter Kotkowski, DP | David Roberts, art director | Description: Performance footage of dance/funk/rock band Honeycut appears on each side of 3-D blocks that rotate spindles. The shots of band member are spread over three individual cubes, thereby letting newly signed Spy director Arno Salters have fun with various mix-and-match possibilities. All of the effects were done in camera and the "video" footage on the blocks is a kind of "flip animation" caused by the fast rotation of the cubes.  -- Watch "Tough Kid" in Quicktime.

NEW RELEASE: Pilate "Barely Listening"

Pilate
"Barely Listening" (Maple Music)
Sean Michael Turrell, director | Craig Fleming, producer | Spy Entertainment, production co | Stuart Gosling, DP | J Deschamps, editor | Description: A woman in a driverless car flips through a fairy tale book that transitions her to unexpected places. Some pages transition to dreamy, sepia footage of Pilate performing in a house, while other pages lead to a hallucinatory return to the woman's childhood. -- watch "Barely Listening"

SHOT: Imogen Heap - Arno Salters, director

New Spy Entertainment signing Arno Salters (left) gives direction to the lovely Imogen Heap on the set of "Goodnight And Go." More pics from the set are in the "i-candy" section of Imogen's homepage.

artist: Imogen Heap
song: "Goodnight And Go"
label: RCA Victor
director(s): Arno Salters
production co: Spy Entertainment

SHOT: Mates Of State - Arno Salters, director

artist: Mates Of State
song: "Fraud In The 80's"
label: Barsuk
director(s): Arno Salters
production co: Spy Entertainment
commissioner: Jill Kaplan & Van Riker

NEW RELEASE: MSTRKRFT "Easy Love"

MSTRKRFT "Easy Love"
Last Gang
Sean Michael Turrell, director | Geoff McLean, producer | Spy Entertainment, production co |John Choi, DP
Description: While it's hard to top the bizarre perversity of the video for their remix of Death From Above 1979's "Sexy Results," Canadian beat makers/DFA 1979 side project MSTRKRFT certainly match it with "Easy Love." What begins as a rumination on all the ways a women can fellate a drinking straw explodes into a milkshake money shot worthy of a bukkake masterpiece (or nightmare). -- watch "Easy Love"

NEW RELEASE: The Open "We Can Never..."

The Open
"We Can Never Say Goodbye"
Loog/Polydor UK
Christopher Mills, director
Craig Fleming, producer
Spy Entertainment, production co
Description: Director Christopher Mills spent a week in Paris to create a video for psychedelic rock band The Open that is partly a surreal travelogue, but primarily an artistic rumination life, death, fire, ice and other dichotomies. -- Watch "We Can Never Say Goodbye"

DVD ALERT: The Tragically Hip "Hipeponymous"

The Tragically Hip "Hipeponymous"
various directors
released December 6, 2005
Description: Canadian rock kings The Tragically Hip reward their fans with the lush CD/DVD box set Hipeponymos. The 2CD Yer Favourites set collects fan favorites from the band's ten studio albums, plus a couple new tracks. The included DVD, That Night In Toronto, boasts a concert film of a 2004 gig at the Toronto Air Canada Centre directed by Pierre and Francois Lamoureux. Although those two items are available separately, the box set includes an exclusive DVD that has all of the band's promo clips, plus Macroscopic, a 50 minute film about The Hip by director Christopher Mills. Unlike the glorified EPKs that accompany many releases, Macroscopic is a beautiful and artful film that dissects the minutiae that defines this unique band.

SHOT: I Nine - Christopher Mills, director

Southern rockers I Nine catch a big break thanks to their inclusion on the soundtrack to Cameron Crowe's new film, Elizabethtown. The video will revolve around the movie's plot, in which Orlando Bloom undetrakes through the South after receiving a scrapbook from Kirstin Dunst.

artist: I Nine
song: "Same In Any Language"
label: RCA
director(s): Christopher Mills
production co: Spy Entertainment

Pitured on set with the band: RCA's Lorin Finkelstein (far left), director Christopher Mills (third from left) and producer Craig Fleming and manager John Eshank in the back row.

NEWS: Sum-41 Congo Special On MTV

MTV will mark the United Nation's International Day of Peace on September 21 by airing the 30-minute special, Rocked: Sum-41 in Congo. Punk/metal group Sum-41 documented their trip to the Democratic Republic of  Congo to draw attention to the bloody humanitarian crisis that has cost 3 million lives over the past 6 years and destroyed much of the country. The special includes the band's rescue from a particularly fraught incident by U.N. peace worker Chuck Pelletier (for whom Sum-41's latest album, Chuck, is named).

Rocked: Sum-41 in Congo was commissioned by War Child Canada and directed by Spy Entertainment's George Vale. The special is strongly tied-in with MTV's politically active web site think MTV and will also air commercial-free on the Cable In The Classroom closed circuit network, which is available in over 8,000 schools in the United States.

A preview of the special and additional info about the situation in the Congo can be found at War Child Canada.

SHOT: Mudvayne - Darren Lynn Bousman, director

Slasher fans rejoice. Not only is a sequel to the 2004 surprise horror hit Saw due out soon, but Saw 2  director/co-writer Darren Lynn Bousman has also directed a music video for Mudvayne's soundtrack contribution, "Forget To Remember."

artist: Mudvayne
song: "Forget To Remember"
label: Epic
director(s): Darren Lynn Bousman
production co: Spy Entertainment

See photo below of Mudvayne singer Chad Gray and director Darren Lynn Bousman...

NEW RELEASE: Caesars "It's Not The Fall That Hurts"

Caesars "It's Not The Fall That Hurts" Astralwerks
Christopher Mills, director/DP
Geof McLean, producer
Spy Entertainment, production co
Marc De Pape, editor
Description: Director Christopher Mills uses a collage technique to create panoramic backdrops for this Caesars video. Different footage of the same locale is layered atop one another, sometimes with band performance and sometimes with either a woman who twirls some streamers, or two young children that parade with cut-out images.

SHOT: The Most Serene Republic - Exp. Parachute Moment, directors

Over-exposed and purposely blurred digital still images are projected over band performance to make for a set-up similar to the trippy environments favored by Andy Warhol's notorious Exploding Plastic Inevitable multimedia happenings.

artist: The Most Serene Republic
song: "Content Always Was My Favorite Color"
label: Arts and Crafts
director(s): Experimental Parachute Moment (aka George Vale & Kevin Drew)
production co: Spy Entertainment

SHOT: The Trews - Stephen Scott, director

Band equipment, sets and even whole cities magically construct themselves for Canadian rock band The Trews in the video for "So She's Leaving."

artist: The Trews
song: "So She's Leaving"
label: Sony BMG Canada
director(s): Stephen Scott
production co: Spy Entertainment

NEW RELEASE: Motion City Soundtrack "Everything Is Alright"

Motion City Soundtrack "Everything Is Alright"  Epitaph
Chris Grismer and Christopher Mills, director
Sarah Gibson, producer
Spy Entertainment, production company
Ray Dumas, DP
Andrew Adolphus, editor
Description: Motion City Soundtrack frontman Justin Pierre fights off hallucinations as he visits a psychiatrist in "Everything Is Alright." Fellow patients and even the shrink and his nurse all lip-sync vocals while weird flashes and distortions dart across the screen. Judging by the brain artwork that appears on the walls of the full band set-up, it's very likely that the band's energetic performance of this punk/pop cut exists solely in Pierre's mind as well.

Much Music Video Awards Recap

The 2005 Much Music Video Awards took place on Saturday in Toronto. Billy Talent and k-os videos and their respective production companies Spy Entertainment and The Revolver Film Company were the big winners. Billy Talent won in the Best Video and MuchLOUD Best Rock Video categories for "River Below," directed by Sean Michael Turrell of Spy. K-os had two videos that were recognized with awards on Saturday; "Man I Used To Be" took the MuchVibe Best Rap Video, Best Cinematography and the clip's directors, The Love Movement featuring Micah J. Meisner and k-os, were recognized with Best Director honors. K-os' other video, "Crabbuckit," won Best Pop Video. Both k-os clips were produced by Natalie Galazka and ZebRoc through Revolver.

Spy Entertainment also boasted several other wins for directors on their roster. Chris Grismer's two videos for Death from Above 1979 were singled out: "Blood On Our Hands" won Best VideoFACT "Romantic Rights" won Best Post-Production.

A full list of winners and photographs from the big night can be found at MuchMusic.com.

SHOT: Sum-41 - Sean Turrell, director

This tricky video from Spy director Sean Turrell lets duplicate members of Sum-41 appear concurrently in what seems to be a seamless take without any edits. (See photo below of singer Deryck Whibley lounging in a car on the green screen set.)

artist: Sum-41
song: "Some Say"
label: Island Def Jam (commissioned by the band's Canadian label, DKD/Aquarius)
director(s): Sean Turrell
production co: Spy
plus...
producer: Craig Fleming
DP: Marcus Elliot
editor: Marc Bacli

SHOT: Caesars - Christopher Mills, director

Caesars perform "It's Not The Fall That Hurts"in the great outdoors of Vancouver while two little girls and a dancer shake objects like lightning bolts (see photo of Mills directing the action below) to the beat.

artist: Caesars
song: "It's Not The Fall That Hurts"
label: Astralwerks
director(s): Christopher Mills
production co: Spy Entertainment

SHOT: Sloan - Chris Grismer, director

Two parking valet's decide to express their displeasure at Sloan's cheap tip by taking the vehicle on an insane and destructive joyride.

artist: Sloan
song: "All Used Up"
label: Sony BMG (Canada)/Koch (US)
director(s): Chris Grismer
production co: Spy Entertainment
DP: Jon Choi
editor: Jay Deschamp

SHOT: Stars - George Vale, director

This video for Canadian buzz band Stars imagines a school reunion where the only attendees are lead singer Torquil Campbell and an old girlfriend. As often happens in fantasies, they immediately fall back in love.

artist: Stars
song: "Reunion"
label: Arts & Crafts
director(s): George Vale & Torquil Campbell
production co: Spy Entertainment

NEW RELEASE: Death From Above 1979 "Blood On Our Hands"

Death From Above 1979 "Blood On Our Hands" Vice/Atlantic
Chris Grismer, director
Sarah Gibson, producer
Spy Entertainment, production company
Adam Marsden, DP
Andrew Adolphus, editor
Description: This drum and bass duo (not to be confused with that awful drum 'n' bass trend of a few years ago) lay waste to an audience as they perform this pummeling indie rock tune. Off-kilter camera angles, quick edits and flashing lights give the performance a claustrophobic excitement, which is then relieved by a coda in which the two guys put on their scarves and ride away in a limo. Aslo included are a few quick shots in which the band members indeed have blood on their hands.

SHOT: Magneta Lane - Chris Grismer, director

artist: Magneta Lane
song: "Ugly Socialite"
label: Paper Bag
director(s): Chris Grismer
production co: Spy Entertainment

BOOKED: Motion City Soundtrack - Christopher Mills & Chris Grismer, directors

artist: Motion City Soundtrack
song: “Everything Is Alright”
label: Epitaph
director(s): Christopher Mills & Chris Grismer
production co: Spy Entertainment

SHOT: Senses Fail - Christopher Mills, director

Christopher Mills directed this video for Senses Fail aboard an old oil tanker in Lake Ontario.

artist: Senses Fail
song: "Rum Is For Drinking, Not For Burning"
label: Vagrant
director(s): Christopher Mills
production co: Spy Entertainment

Make sure you click the thumbnail photo to get a sense of the pyro action on set.

NEW RELEASE: Strata "Never There"

Strata "Never There" Wind-Up
Sean Turrell, director
Erin Berry & Raub Shapiro, producers
Spy Entertainment, production company
Adam Marsdan, DP
J Deschamps, editor
Description: A disenfranchised worker at a dysfunctional office watches everything around him suddenly vanish piece by piece.

SHOT: Emanuel - George Vale, director

Emanuel rock out and a group of teens party for several days and nights in this video directed by George Vale.

artist: Emanuel
song: "The Willing"
label: Vagrant
director(s): George Vale
production co: Spy Entertainment

Photo: Emanuel bassist Bryan Whiteman, Vagrant's Kevin Kusatsu, director George Vale and Emanuel guitarist Mat Barber.

SHOT: Arcade Fire - Chris Grismer, director

Buzz band Arcade Fire wake up a sleepy town when they march through and perform this rousing rocker. Video has been on-lined and is complete.

artist: Aracade Fire
song: "Rebellion (Lies)"
label: Merge
director(s): Chris Grismer
production co: Spy Entertainment